Tiruppavai: Verse 16

nAyaganAi nindra

nAyaganAi nindra nandhagOpanudaiya

kOyil kAppAnE kodithOndrum thOraNa

vAyil kAppAnE maNikkadhavam thAl thiravAi

Ayar sirumiyarOmukku araiparai

mAyan maNivaNNan nennalE vAi nErndhAn

thUyOmAi vandhOm thuyil ezhap pAduvAn

vAyAl munnamunnam mAtrAdhE ammAnI

nEya nilaikkadhavam nIkkElOr empAvAi

Essence of the verse

Andal, with her friends, has reached their destination, Krishna’s mansion. In order to be let in, she declares that they have already informed Krishna and been promised audience by him. In addition, it is with a pure heart that we come, she says, meaning that theirs is not a self-seeking venture but a mission with the singular goal of getting Krishna to accept their offering of service to him.

Word meaning

nAyagan Ai nindra

• He who is in the position of our chief

nandhagOpanudaiya

• That Nandagopa’s

kOyil kAppAnE

• You who guard it

kodi thOndrum

• With flags aflutter

thOraNa vAyil

• Entrance decorated with streamers

kAppAnE

• You who guard

maNi

• Gem-studded

kadhavam

• Door

thAL

• Latch

thiravAi

• Please open

Ayar sirumiyarOmukku

• For girls of the cowherd clan

mAyan

• He who is known for incredible feats

maNivaNNan

• He with the complexion of a sparkling blue gemstone

nennalE

• Yesterday itself

arai parai vAi nErndhAn

• Promised us the thunderous parai-drum

thuyil ezha

• So as to awaken him from slumber

pAduvAn

• To sing

thUyOmAi vandhOm

• With virtuous intention we have come

ammA

• Sir

munnam munnam

• At the outset itself

vAyAl mAtrAdhE

• Without repulsing us with your verbal skill

nEyam nilai kadhavam

• This affectionate door that steadfastly protects Krishna

nI

• You

nIkku

• Unlock

El Or empAvAi

• Hear and resolve to do as said, my girl.

Commentary

In his composition Prameyasaram (verse 3), Arulaala Perumal reminds us of the fact that Narayana, in his Trivikrama incarnation (see verse 3, Tiruppavai) has already declared to be His, and therefore under his protection, all that exists. This attitude of submission by the jIvAtma (mortal) to the paramAtma (The Absolute) being the de facto situation, and protection by the latter being voluntary and inclusive are sentiments that have their origin in the divine poetry of the Azhwar saints. The ‘gift’, namely protection, has already been promised to us, says Andal. We have come here merely to remind he who promised it, she says to the door keeper. She also assures him that they have come with a pure heart, with love for Krishna, and not one corrupted by desire stemming from self love.

It is significant that Andal praises the door itself as one that lovingly protects the Lord. The Azhwar saints, literally named for plumbing ‘the depths’ of divine love, were so protective of God that sometimes they felt constrained to themselves assume the role of protector. Tiruppallandu, a composition by Andal’s parent, Vishnuchitta, who came to be known as Periazhwar, is an ode to the devout, calling upon them to come in great numbers to safeguard God from the malevolent intentions of earthly denizens.